Duraflex Spare Parts -- Emergency Kit

I often get asked "what would be a good supply of Duraflex parts to keep on hand at my pool"? The answer really depends on how many diving boards that you have and if you have guard rails or not. So, in a nutshell, what follows is a list of parts that would make for a very nice emergency parts kit at a pool with 1-2 diving boards. I have also listed the tools and supplies you should keep on hand as well that are needed to change out these parts.

FOR SURE HAVE THESE PARTS:

Qty. 2 -- Item #515 Rubber Bumpers for Fulcrum Assembly
Qty. 2 -- Item #516 Anti-Rattle Clamps for Fulcrum Assembly
Qty. 4 -- Item #518 Fulcrum Slide Bearings
Qty. 2 -- Item #521 Fulcrum Roller Clamps
Qty. 4 -- Item #524 Fulcrum Roller Bearings
Qty. 2 -- Item 528 Anti Rattle Bolt and Nuts for Fulcrum Assembly
Qty 4 -- Item 526 Tie Plate Bolt, Nut and Washer
Qty 4 -- Item SF152 Lock-nut for Roller Clamp Stud
Qty 2 -- Item 533 Roller Clamp Stud with Lock-nut
Qty 2 -- Item C203 Hinge Pin
Qty 8 -- Item C209 Hinge Pin Nyliner ("Bushing")
Qty 8 -- Item C210 Hinge Pin "O" Ring
Qty 4 -- Item SF106 Hinge Attachment Bolts and Nuts
Qty 4 -- Item SF105 Guard Rail Arm Attachment Bolts and Nuts
Qty 4 -- Item C207 Stainless Steel Guard Rail Band Clamp
Qty 8 -- Item SF117, SF118, SF119 and SF 153 -- Two of each -- Guard Rail Attachment Bolts
Qty 1 -- Item SF122 SET of 2 Diving Board Carriage Bolts, Washers and Nuts with Anti-seize lubricant

OTHER ITEMS TO CONSIDER HAVING ON HAND:

Qty 1 -- Item MP112 Set of EIGHT Rubber Channels with Glue Kit for Underside of Board
Qty 2 -- Item C208A Fulcrum Slide Tracks with Installation Bolts

TOOLS AND SUPPLIES TO HAVE ON HAND:

15/16" Box Wrench -- For Diving Board Attachment Bolts and Diving Stand Attachment to deck.
9/16" Combo Wrench -- For Hinge Bolts; Guard Rail Arm Bolts, Fulcrum Anti-Rattle Bolts
1/2" Combo Wrench -- For Roller Clamp Stud Lock-nuts, Tie Plate Bolts and Guard Rail Attachment Bolts.
3 in 1 Oil -- To lubricate hinges
Mystik JT6 Grease -- 3 Ounce Tube with Grease Gun
Can or WD-40 or similar lubricant spray for cleaning slide tracks, etc.
Rags, old towels etc. for cleanup

We wish you a very safe and successful diving season!

THE OBJECT OF DIVING

What is the object of diving? I suppose the answer to this depends on whom you are asking. For me as a coach -- I try to teach my divers from the very beginning that the object of diving is comprised of the following four items:

1) Go in straight (vertical entry -- most important!)
2) Go in straight with good form (legs straight, feet together, toes pointed!)
3) Go in straight with good form and little or no splash (RIP entry!)
4) Go in straight with good form, little or no splash and at a safe distance from the diving board (too close is too dangerous!)

Once your diver can do these four things, there is a fifth item and that is to increase the degree of difficulty (D.D.) of your dive list. Once your D.D. has been increased, you then try to complete numbers one through four again on the new list of dives.

Chances are good that if you can do these four things (plus the fifth item), you will be able to accomplish what legendary diving coach Hobie Billingsley used to tell his divers: "Beat the guy who finishes 2nd"!

Diving Referee or Judges Should Help Teach Younger Divers

My kids are both on the third grade basketball team and for the most part -- it is a comedy of errors watching them "play" the game and learn the game!

Of course, teaching the kids how to play the game is the job of the coach but I like how the local referees take an active role of teaching the kids during the games. As you can imagine, the rules of basketball for 3rd graders are not very strictly enforced -- but when they are, I really like how the referee will squat down in front of the kid and tell him exactly why the whistle was blown or why the foul was called. This way, the youngster can get immediate feedback and learn the game one rule at a time.

Similarly, diving referees and judges should do the same thing -- especially in summer league diving. If a failed dive, balk or other penalty is called, the referee (or judge) should call the young aspiring diver over and explain exactly why the penalty was called to make sure they understand. In certain instances, I think even letting young diver repeat a dive that was failed is a great opportunity to teach the sport to them. Call them over, explain why the dive was failed and then let them try it again. This is a non-threatening and non embarrassing way to teach a young diver and keep them involved in the sport by taking a potentially humiliating experience and turning it into a positive situation.

NEVER Let Your Divers Use This!

One of the most important physical attributes for any successful diver is upper body strength. The ability to "throw" a dive and perhaps even more importantly, the ability to "hold an entry" (aka RIP a dive) especially when hitting the water at 35 miles per hour!!

One easy way to work on upper body strength with your divers on an almost daily basis is to have them CLIMB OUT OF THE POOL AFTER EACH DIVE. DO NOT LET THEM USE THE LADDER!! If your diver does 50 -75 dives per practice, this amounts to 50-75 "dips" or push-ups that they do at every practice and over time this does wonders for the biceps, wrists, tri-ceps, lats and shoulders.

It may be difficult at first -- but in the long run, it will make a big difference!

First Piano Recital / First Diving Meet

The other day, my wife, in-laws and I attended a piano recital in which our eight year old twins were first-time participants. There were about 15 students -- all were beginners or advanced beginners. For me, it was very interesting to observe the behaviors of the kids and the parents and I started thinking back to the old days of coaching. I started having flashbacks to my first diving meet as well as the first diving meets of my former divers.

It was like deja vu -- different arena; different participants; different activity -- SAME RESULT.

What do I mean? Well first, the parents (myself included) were more nervous than the kids. They wanted so badly for their child to do well and to have a positive experience. They all had video cameras to record the moment -- even at the expense of they themselves missing it "live" while they fumbled with their camcorders. As expected, most of the kids were nervous too as this would be the first time they performed in front of a crowd of people -- most of whom they had never met.

The order of performers was printed in a program -- much the same way a dive order is posted at a diving meet. I could tell my kids were getting more and more nervous (and excited) with each passing performance knowing that they would soon hear their name called and have to walk to the front, bow to the audience, and then take their seat on the freshly polished piano bench in front of the Baby Grand Piano to play their two 15 second songs.

A lump formed in my throat as I watched them sit motionless for a few seconds, then take a deep breath, and then play what they had practiced many times before. As with diving, when you practice your dives over and over again, all usually goes well and according to plan and this was their end result too!!

At the conclusion of their performances, they each closed their books, bowed to the crowd and with a huge smile on their face, excitedly walked back to where the family was sitting. We were all beaming with pride and joy. We gave them a hug and congratulated them on a job well done. Not surprisingly, each of them whispered in my ear -- "I was not nervous at all, Dad!" YEAH, RIGHT!

Now That Summer Diving Has Ended.......

Now that summer league and country club diving has ended, it is time to take care of your diving equipment -- particularly, if your Club has Duraflex and Durafirm Diving Equipment to make sure it is in good working order for next season. Here is what to do:

1) Remove your diving boards from the diving stands and inspect them -- both top and bottom. Inspect the top surface of the diving board to make sure the factory applied non-skid surface is still in good shape. Inspect the underside of the diving board (all eight ribs from front to back) for any cracks or missing rubber channels. If the diving board non-skid surface is beginning to wear or the board feels slippery to the touch (wet foot on wet board), now is the time to get it sent back to the Duraflex Factory for a refinish job. If the diving board is cracked, you must remove it from service and start planning for the purchase of a new board for next season. Contact Springboards and More for help with either of these two situations.

2) After inspecting your boards, store them out of the weather (in a shed, storage room, bath house, etc.). It is best to store them in a place where they will not be stepped on; driven over by a tractor or in any place where something could fall or be dropped on them. We suggest that your boards be stored on their side (see picture above -- but make sure board is inside and out of weather). You should also spray your diving board carriage bolts (the large bolts that attach the diving board to the diving stand) with WD-40 or similar product and wrap them in newspaper and place in a zip lock bag that you then tuck between the ribs of the underside of the diving board.

3) Using some old rags, wipe off any grease, dirt or grime from your fulcrum slide tracks, fulcrum assembly, hinges or the actual diving stand. We have found that a spray can of carburetor cleaner or brake parts cleaner does an excellent job of removing this type of gunk from your equipment. (You can find these products at any auto parts store for a few dollars per can).

4) Use large plastic garbage bags or tarps to completely cover the fulcrum assembly and hinge assembly of your diving stands. You can secure with duct tape or bungee cords -- being careful to NOT stick the duct tape to the actual diving stand. This cover is to protect the fulcrum and hinges as well as the epoxy paint coating of your diving stands from the weather.

You can now rest easy that your valuable and expensive diving equipment will be in good working order for next summer. It is amazing to me the number of summer swim clubs that leave their diving equipment uncovered and exposed to the elements all Fall, Winter and Spring and then wonder why it does not last as long as they thought it should.

YES -- I Do Play Favorites!

Have you ever been accused by a parent of "playing favorites" on your diving team? I think every coach has at one time or another. Of course, the complaining parent is almost always the parent of the diver who is NOT among the "favorites."

Well my answer to this nonsense is "YES -- I DO PLAY FAVORITES!"

• My favorites are the divers who come to practice on time; all the time.
• My favorites are the divers who do what I ask them to do it without complaining.
• My favorites are the divers who are eager and willing to hear what I have to say.
• My favorites are the divers who bring a good attitude and positive energy to practice.
• My favorites are the divers who want to get better -- no matter what.
• My favorites are the divers who work hard; who try hard and who pay attention to me.
• My favorites are the divers who give great effort all the time (without me having to constantly badger them!!)
• My favorites are the kids who try and try and try again.
• My favorites are the kids who stay late to get in extra work on the trampoline or dry board or in the gym.

Yes -- these are my favorites. Now to become one of my favorites, all a diver needs to do is show up; work hard; try hard, do their best and pay attention to me. If you pay attention to me, then I will most likely pay attention to you. I would much rather work with a total non-athlete who really wants to become a better diver than a physically gifted, super athlete who thinks they know it all and can do it all by themselves.

I DO NOT, CAN NOT and WILL NOT reward lack of effort, bad attitudes, disruptive behavior, or the like. I ignore these things (READ: I do not pay attention to these divers -- i.e. certainly not one of my favorites). So to paraphrase Bo Diddley "before you accuse me, take a look at your (kid)!"

Support Your Team!!

For the past two days, I had the honor of serving as judge and referee of the 2009 Private Pool Swim League (PPSL) Diving Championships. The PPSL is one of the best sources for new diving talent anywhere and some of the best divers in the United States over the past 25 years got their start in the PPSL.

This year was no different -- there was a multitude of diving talent in this meet and there were coaches from each of the four diving programs in the area at the meet scouting for new talent for their diving teams and programs.

I am always pleased to see a large number of my former divers who are giving back to the sport of diving. Serving as coaches, judges, table workers, etc. -- selfishly speaking -- it is very humbling to think that they are still involved with diving because of their experiences with diving when i coaches them. The judging panel for this meet was excellent and they did a great job! The judges were Mike Grappner, Jenny (Chasteen) Fleming, Jenny (Huber) Rehberger and Andrew Campbell. Every one of them except Mike Grappner, were former divers of mine.

I would be remiss without saying that the only thing that was disappointing about this meet was the incredibly low number of spectators and "diving fans" at the end of meet. The team that ended up winning the 2009 PPSL Champ Meet (Madeira Swim Club / coached by a former diver of mine -- Elena Schaible) pulled quite an upset. Elena has been coaching summer league diving for 15 years and has come close to winning -- finishing 2nd a couple times -- but this year finally put it all together to win the Champ Meet. I was very proud of her -- especially for all the determination, effort and work she has put in over the past 15 years. The disappointment I felt was the fact that the ONLY people from the winning team that were present at the end of the meet when they announced the final team scores and presented the Team Champion Trophy was the diver from her team who competed in the final event and her parents.

Where were the rest of the divers from the winning team? Where were the divers from the other teams that were jockeying for the team title? They HAD to know their team was on the verge of winning the Champ Meet -- they posted updated team scores at the completion of each event! Why didn't the parents and divers of these teams stay to watch the last few events? Why didn't they stay to support their team? Why didn't the kids who dove in yesterday's events come back to cheer on their team and be a part of the Championships Presentation today? They sure missed a golden opportunity to be a part of local diving history.

I would be lying if I did not say that I am disappointed in the parents and divers of today. It seems to me that most divers (kids) today simply do their thing (event) and then take off to do their next thing -- disregarding their TEAM. It is sad but I feel that it is a sign of the times. I can recall a time when the entire team (even those who were NOT diving in the Champ Meet) would show up at the Champ Meet, faces painted, cheering wildly for THEIR TEAM. In the "good ole days" -- the pool would have been packed with spectators; the energy and electricity could be felt throughout the pool and the celebrations would be spectacular when the final results were announced. Not so much these days.

Congratulations Coach Elena Schaible and the Madeira Swim Club Diving Team for winning the 2009 PPSL Diving Championships. Congratulations as well to all the divers and all the coaches who participated in this Champ Meet. See you again next season!

How To Create A Diving Meet "Time Line" (Part 3 of 3)

A FEW OTHER NOTES TO KEEP IN MIND ABOUT DIVING MEET TIME LINES

1. Most Diving Meet Computer Programs have built in event time line calculators so if using one of these, your work to create a time line just became much easier.


2. Be sure to clearly state that your time line is an ESTIMATED TIME LINE ONLY!


3. Post your time line on your team or league website a few days in advance of the Meet so that coaches, divers and parents can log on and check it out.


4. Post your time line at various places around the pool deck including the registration table, the score table, on the wall behind the diving boards, in the hospitality room and in the spectator seating area.


5. Be sure to add one of the following “disclaimers” to your time line: Option 1: This time line is an ESTIMATE ONLY. If an event ends sooner than predicted we will NOT wait or slow down to in order to stick to the time line. It is the responsibility of the diver to arrive at the pool on time for the start of their event. We suggest you arrive AT LEAST ONE-HOUR BEFORE YOUR EVENT IS ESTIMATED TO BEGIN. Option 2: This time line is an ESTIMATE ONLY, however, we plan to stick to the time line. If an event ends sooner than expected, we will NOT begin the next event earlier than posted on this time line. Divers are responsible for arriving on time for their event.


6. You may want to provide a cell phone number for divers, coaches and parents to call in order to check on the progress of the meet.


7. You may be able to update the time line on your website as the meet progresses which would allow divers, coaches and parents to log on to check the progress.
   
   Whatever way you decide to go, creating and sticking to a time line for your diving meet will earn favorable reviews from the coaches, divers and parents – and this is always a good thing.
   
   As Always, Best Wishes for a Safe and Successful Diving Season!

How To Create A Diving Meet "Time Line" (Part 2 of 3)

WATCH WHAT HAPPENS IF THE MEET IS RUN AT 2.5 DPM (Dives per Minute):

(28 Divers in the Event) x (3 Dives BEFORE “Cuts”) = (84 Dives) / 2.5 DPM (2.5 Dives Per Minute) = (34 Minutes to Complete the Preliminaries).

Now, add 10 minutes to your time line to allow the score table workers to “reduce the field to the Top 12 Divers” (aka Make “Cuts”)

Next, repeat the formula from above to calculate the time line for The Finals.

(12 Divers in the Finals) x (2 Dives AFTER “Cuts”) = (24 Dives) / 2.5 DPM (2.5 Dives Per Minute) = (10 Minutes to Complete the Finals).

Here is what your NEW Time Line will look like for this event:

1:00 p.m. – 11-12,Girls Preliminaries Begin
1:34 p.m. – Prelims End / Score Table makes “Cuts” to Top 12 Divers
1:44 p.m. – 11-12 Girls Finals Begins
1:54 p.m. – Finals Ends / 20 Minute Warm-up for Event #7 Begins Now /
11-12 Girls Final Scores are calculated and then the Awards Presentation takes place.
2:14 a.m. – Next Event Begins

This illustration shows that by keeping a pace of 2.5 DPM, the event would end about 10 minutes sooner than the event would end running at 2 DPM. Now extrapolate this time saving over the entire day or even the entire WEEKEND (for a large invitational) and you can see where there would be a HUGE time savings.

Before you get all excited about running your diving meet at a blistering pace of 4 DPM, keep in mind that running a meet at 2.5 DPM requires a GOOD Announcer, an EXPERIENCED Group of Score Table Workers as well as an ATTENTIVE Group of Divers AND finally – Diving Board Fulcrums that MOVE EASILY. A pace of 2.5 DPM means that a dive is announced, performed, judged and scores recorded every 24 seconds all day long with no problems or errors – this is really moving!!

Now imagine the nightmare scenario if there were errors or problems at the Score Table, or the dive sheets get out of order, or the microphone stops working or the fulcrums do not move easily or the announcer is a slow reader or you have an inexperienced group of table workers. Any one of these common situations could cause an event to run at an abysmal pace of 1 DPM. Go back and re-calculate your time line using 1 DPM and you will find that your diving meet could last ALL DAY LONG with a bunch of unhappy parents, coaches and divers.


Check back later for some final thoughts and notes.

How To Create A Diving Meet "Time Line" (Part 1 of 3)

If your team will be hosting a diving invitational, you should know how to create an estimated time line for the events. Coaches and parents always want to know what time “their kid” will be diving. Creating a diving meet time line is relatively easy and your efforts will be very much appreciated – especially if you and your staff are able to run the meet close to the schedule you created. Here is how to do it:

To create an approximate time line for your diving meet based on a "speed" of TWO DIVES PER MINUTE (about normal), apply the following formula to EACH EVENT:

(Number of Divers in the Event) x (Number of Dives to be Performed Before the Cuts) / 2 DPM (Dives Per Minute) = (Number of Minutes to Complete the Prelims)
Then add 5-10 minutes to allow the score table workers to make "cuts" (if applicable)
Finally, (Number of Divers Remaining After Cuts) x (Number of Dives to be Performed in the Finals) / 2 DPM (Dives Per Minute) = (Number of Minutes to Complete Finals)

EXAMPLE from a local Summer League Champ Meet:

EVENT #6 -- 11-12 Girls 1 Meter – All Divers will do THREE dives and then a “Cut” will be made to the Top 12 Divers who will then perform TWO more dives. Let’s say that there are 28 Divers entered in this event.

(28 Divers in the Event) x (3 Dives BEFORE “Cuts”) = (84 Dives) / 2 DPM (2 Dives Per Minute) = (42 Minutes to Complete the Preliminaries).

If Event #6 is scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m., the Pre-lims should end at 1:42 p.m. (that is 42 minutes after it started)

Now, add 10 minutes to your time line to allow the score table workers to “reduce the field to the Top 12 Divers” (aka Make “Cuts”)

Next, repeat the formula from above to calculate the time line for The Finals.

(12 Divers in the Finals) x (2 Dives AFTER “Cuts”) = (24 Dives) / 2 DPM (2 Dives Per Minute) = (12 Minutes to Complete the Finals).

Here is what your time line will look like for Event #6:

1:00 p.m. – 11-12 Girls Preliminaries Begin
1:42 p.m. – Prelims End / Score Table makes “Cuts” to Top 12 Divers
1:52 p.m. – 11-12 Girls Finals Begins
2:04 p.m. – Finals Ends / 20 Minute Warm-up for Event #7 Begins Now /
11-12 Girls Final Scores are calculated and then the Awards Presentation takes place.
2:24 a.m. – Next Event Begins

REPEAT THIS PROCESS FOR EACH EVENT AND THEN POST A SPREADSHEET THAT SHOWS THE EVENT TIME LINE.

Check back soon to see what happens when you are able to even slightly increase the speed at which you run each event -- WOW!!

Things Every Diving Judge Should Know (Part 3 of 3)

Here are the last bits of information that I think Every Diving Judge Should Know:

1. Every diving judge should have a basic understanding of how to calculate the point total for each dive. With five judges, the high score and low score are dropped. The remaining three “middle” scores are added together and their sum total is multiplied by the “Degree of Difficulty” of the dive performed. For a three judge panel, the process is the same except that the high score and low score are NOT dropped.


2. Every diving judge should know that “Degree of Difficulty” is NOT taken into account when judging a dive. Judges are to score the PERFORMANCE of the dive – not the DIFFICULTY of the dive.


3. Every diving judge should know to be consistent with their judging and to not play favorites. If you are a “tough” judge – be “tough” on every diver.


4. Every diving judge should know that the safety of the diver is the number one priority and if they, the judge, see something that could result in injury to a diver they should immediately bring it to the attention of the coach, referee or pool manager. (Examples include broken or malfunctioning equipment, horseplay, lightning in the distance, objects floating in the pool near the diving boards, unsafe dives being attempted or repeated, etc.)


5. Every diving judge should know that judging diving is SUBJECTIVE – it is YOUR opinion. You may like certain things about certain dives that the other judges do not like and vice versa. Remember, YOU are the expert – do not be influenced by anything! (Crowd favorite; Hometown hero; well-known diver; etc.)


6. Every diving judge should know that the more times you judge diving, the better you get!


7. Every diving judge should know that in order to fine tune your “diving eye” you must watch diving on a regular basis. Visit a local high school, summer swim club or age group diving team and watch some practices. Practice scoring each dive you see. If you are fortunate enough to go with somebody, have them practice scoring too and then you can compare scores.


8. Every diving judge should know that you can never stop improving your judging. It takes time; it takes practice and it takes patience. Good luck and HAVE FUN!

Things Every Diving Judge Should Know (Part 2 of 3)

Here are the next seven items (#9-#15) of my total 23 "Things Every Diving Judge Should Know."

1. Every diving judge should know that diving is a sport of aesthetics – dives that “look good” score higher.
2. Every diving judge should know that any action a diver does beneath the surface of the water is not taken into account when scoring the dive.
3. Every diving judge should know that a higher dive is a better dive. If two divers do the exact same dive with the exact same form, at the exact same distance and with the exact same entry -- but one of the divers went higher in the air, THAT diver should receive higher scores than the other diver.
4. Every diving judge knows that a dive performed too close to the board is NOT a good dive. TOO CLOSE IS TOO DANGEROUS and should not be rewarded with high scores – even if all other aspects of the dive were good.
5. Every diving judge should understand and be able to identify a “crow hop” and should know that if two divers perform the exact same dive the exact same way, except for one of the divers “crow hops” on the takeoff, then that diver’s scores should be lower than the scores for the diver who did not “crow hop.” (A “crow hop” is defined as the lifting of one or both feet off of the board during a back or inward takeoff dive but prior to the actual takeoff for the dive.
6. Every diving judge should understand the concept of a “balk” in diving and how it DOES NOT affect the score they give for the dive. (A “balk” is declared when a diver, after assuming a starting position, makes an obvious attempt to start the dive and then stops for any reason. If a diver “balks” they get to try the dive one more time. Upon successful completion of the dive on the second try, each judge scores the second attempt as if nothing happened but the REFEREE instructs the announcer to reduce each judge’s score by TWO points as a penalty for the balk).
7. Every diving judge should know to show their score immediately upon command of the announcer. All judges should show their score for each dive simultaneously. NO PEEKING AT THE OTHER SCORES BEFORE YOU SHOW YOUR SCORE!!

Things Every Diving Judge Should Know (Part 1 of 3)

Now that the high school diving season is upon us, many parents (and swimming officials) will take their place in the judges’ chair. For many, this will be the first time that they have ever judged diving – and it can be somewhat intimidating. In order to lessen the stress associated with your first time sitting in the judges’ chair, I offer the following “Things Every Diving Judge Should Know.” (#1-#7 of 23 items)

1. Every Diving Judge should know and be able to identify the FIVE categories of dives. They are Forward Dives, Back Dives, Reverse Dives, Inward Dives and Twisting Dives.
2. Every diving judge should know and be able to identify the FOUR positions used in diving. They are Tuck position, Pike position, Straight (or Layout) position and Free Position.
3. Every diving judge should know and be able to identify a Starting Position, Forward Approach and Hurdle. Every diving judge should also know that there is no such thing as a “hurdle” on a backward takeoff dive.
4. Every diving judge should know that a Hurdle must take-off from ONE foot and land on BOTH feet simultaneously with the toes at or very near the end of the diving board.
5. Every diving judge should know that scores for a dive can range from TEN (“perfect”**) to a ZERO (completely failed dive). ** See #7 below.
6. Every diving judge should know the scoring descriptions for judging. They are: 0 Points – completely failed; 0.5 – 2.5 Points (Unsatisfactory); 3.0 – 4.5 Points (Deficient); 5.0 – 6.0 Points (Satisfactory); 6.5 – 8.0 Points (Good); 8.5 – 10 Points (Very Good).
7. Every diving judge should know and understand that relative to the scoring description chart stated in #6 above, a “10” is NOT a perfect score; rather, it is a score that is at the top end of the “Very Good” range.

What's Wrong With This Picture?

Take a look at the picture above. Is there something about this photo that seems rather silly?

You have heard me preach about care and maintenance of your valuable diving equipment. Things like taking your diving boards off of the stands to store out of the weather during the off-season. (You know, protect that $3000.oo hunk of aluminum known as a diving board).

What sense does it make to do what you see in this picture? Take your board off the stand and then just leave it out in the weather all winter long? You took the time to remove your diving board and then let it sit outside for nine months in the rain, snow, sleet, wind, hail, ice, plague and pestilence?

It just does not make much sense to me.

The "Perfect" Diver!

It has been said that the "perfect" diver is an orphan with a trust fund. This tongue in cheek joke makes reference to a diver who does not have meddling parents and one who would have no problem paying team and coaching fees in a timely manner.

Of course, all coaches know that there is no such thing as the "perfect" diver but a "near perfect" diver would definitely have:

1. DESIRE -- You cannot force a kid to want to be a good diver.
2. ATHLETIC ABILITY -- In order to compete at a high level -- the diver must be physically able to successfully complete the big dives required.
3. MENTAL TOUGHNESS -- The diver must be able to block out any and all distractions while they are on the board.
4. COMPETITOR -- The diver must not crumble under the pressure of a big meet and they must be able to "answer" when necessary during a meet.
5. WORK ETHIC -- The diver MUST and MUST WANT TO put in the time necessary to be a good diver. (See #1 above)
6. FOLLOWS DIRECTIONS -- The diver must LISTEN to the coach and try their very best to make the correction each and every time.
7. SUPPORTIVE PARENTS -- The kind of parent that brings their kid to practice on time, every time; pays their fees on time, every time; never engages in negative talk about another diver, parent or coach; lets the coach do the coaching; is a team cheerleader and helps the team whenever and however asked.

If you can find a kid that has most of these qualities, chances are good that they will be successful in this sport. If the diver is missing some or all of these characteristics, you will be fighting an uphill battle.

Diving Program Tool Box and Accessories

This past weekend, I attended a college diving meet -- simply to watch a former diver compete and somehow got roped into announcing the meet so I missed most of the watching!!

Anyway, when it came time to start the meet, the home team could not find their diving judge scorecards, DD Calculators, etc. which made me stop and think about my next blog entry.

Every coach (or at least every diving program) should keep some basic (and pertinent) diving supplies together (and nearby) so that when needed, they can be easily accessed. My suggestion is to buy a small plastic tool box with removable top shelf. The box should have the ability to be "locked" so it cannot open as you run down the pool deck trying to start the first event on time! In this "diving supplies box" should be:

1. Diving Judge Scorecards (At least three -- maybe five or seven depending on what kind of meets you host)
2. Degree of Difficulty Slide Calculator (At least one -- two to be safe)
3. Numerous pencils and pens, pencil sharpener, colored markers, stapler, (solar) calculator, paper clips, etc.
4. 1/2", 9/16" and 15/16" combination wrenches. These three wrenches will tighten (or loosen) every nut and bolt on a Durafirm Diving Stand.
5. Grease gun with tube of grease (for your fulcrum)
6. Small can of 3 in 1 Oil (for your hinges)
7. Small tube of powdered graphite (for your twisting belt)
8. A couple repair parts for your fulcrum or hinge -- just in case something breaks during your next meet.

Best Wishes for a Safe and Successful Diving Season!

Would You Want YOUR Kids To Dive With You?

"You never get a second chance to make a first impression." That age old adage is so true in so many aspects of life -- including your diving program.

I am the proud father of seven year old boy and girl twins and my kids are involved in numerous activities -- seems like I have become a taxi service!! With any new activity in which they become involved, I am always "checking the scene with my keen eye" when I take them for their first lesson or practice.

The first thing I do is check out the facility. Is it clean and well lit? Does the equipment look like it is maintained and in generally good condition? Is the practice location in a safe area? Are there many people there? Are there people there who look like they do not belong there? Do the other kids there look happy to be there? etc. etc.

Usually then I meet the coach or coaches. I definitely form an impression about them within the first couple of minutes. Are they polite and well-mannered? Are they enthusiastic? Do they seem excited to be there coaching or are they just doing it for the paycheck? Are they well-groomed and nicely dressed? Do they offer you a firm handshake and look you in the eye when they first meet or speak with you? Do they reek of cigarette smoke or smokeless tobacco products? Do they have numerous tattoos and body piercings on display? etc. etc. Call me old fashioned, but these things are important to me and, I would venture to say, important to most people -- especially those with young kids. Having a tattoo or a body piercing or smelling like a burnt cigarette does not make you a bad person -- BUT it does make a statement about you that many people do not want made around their kids. I know that I do not want my kids exposed to that "stuff" right now -- they will get plenty of that as they get older.

We are in that time of the diving season when many programs are just starting. Many new divers are coming in for their first practices and many proud parents (and grandparents) are coming to watch as well. Take a few moments to look over your facility to make sure it is presentable. While you are at it, take a look in the mirror and ask yourself -- "Would I want MY kids to dive with me?"

You Must Be Better Than "BAD" Judging!

I hear it all the time from coaches and especially from divers -- "The judging today was terrible!"

In most cases, I disagree, because as I hope you are aware, judging diving is subjective; it is purely the personal opinion of the person sitting in the judging chair. What they like or dislike might be radically different than what you like or dislike. What they think is a good dive or a bad dive might be radically different that what you think is a good dive or a bad dive.

Something to consider: if all (or most) of the judges score your dive(s) low -- chances are your dive was not quite as good as you thought it was. If most of the judges gave your dive a good score and one judge did not (because of cheating or just inexperience) -- that does NOT affect your score one bit as their low score gets dropped when the calculations are made.

The point I am trying to make is this: You cannot do something (or NOT do something) on your dive that would cause the judge (or judges) to give your dive a "BAD" score. You need to coach your divers in such a way (or if you are the diver) you need to make sure your dives are better than "bad" judging. You have nobody to blame but yourself if your dives go into the water with bent legs, flat feet, feet apart or a big splash. Don't forget about entering the water vertically either! Even the worst diving judge in the world knows that each or any of these things makes your dive look bad and thus scream out for "BAD" scores! Any coach worth their salt knows that the key to diving success (especially at the younger age groups) is fundamentals -- namely good form (legs straight, feet together, toes pointed) and vertical entry with little or no splash!

So the next time you compete (or your diver competes) in a meet and you are angry at the "BAD" judging -- take an (unbiased) look back on your dives to see if there were not some numerous and / or fundamental errors that might have caused all the judges to simultaneously score you low.

It Never Ceases To Amaze Me!

Now that the Summer Swim Club season is over, it is time to remind everybody to TAKE PROPER CARE OF YOUR EQUIPMENT FOR THE WINTER!

It never ceases to amaze me the number of summer swim clubs and country clubs that leave their THREE THOUSAND DOLLAR Diving Boards sitting unprotected in the weather all Fall, Winter and Spring. It never ceases to amaze me that those who DO take down their diving board for the off season simply leave them lay out on the pool deck or against a fence UNPROTECTED from the elements all year long. I would say that diving coaches -- it is partly YOUR responsibility to prod your pool manager to take a few steps to protect your valuable equipment by doing the following:

1. Take down your diving boards from the stands and store them INSIDE (Filter room, bathhouse, concession stand, etc.) Be sure to store them OUT OF THE WAY so people do not step on them or drop things on them or drive the club tractor over them. I suggest leaning them against a wall (top surface towards the wall) set upon three 2x4's (cut short) to keep them off the ground. Put one in the middle and the other two about three feet from each end of the board. If you have more than one diving board, drape a couple of folded towels over the second board and then rest it against the first board. These act like bumpers to keep your boards from possibly scraping each other.
2. Remove the carriage bolts from the diving board and spray them with some WD-40 or similar lubricant. After they dry, wrap them in newspaper and place between the ribs on the underside of the board (so you know exactly where they are next summer).
3. Use a rag and some WD-40 and completely clean your fulcrum slide tracks. Also, use some 3 in 1 Oil to lubricate your hinges.
4. Finally, take some large garbage bags and completely cover your fulcrum assembly and hinge assembly. Secure these with Duct tape or bungee cords. You may even want to take a large tarp and completely cover your entire diving stand as well.

Duraflex Equipment is known round the world for high quality that provides years and years of service -- but you must do your part and take care of your equipment -- even when not in use.